SPOKANE — The No. 2 Mossyrock girls basketball team is back on a stage that isn’t new for any of its players.
After coming up short in previous seasons, the Vikings put themselves in position to win their first state championship in almost two decades Friday night, defeating No. 5 Inchelium in the 1B state semifinals at Spokane Arena, 58-33.
The Vikings’ defense was suffocating once again, holding the Hornets to 24% shooting from the floor and forcing 25 turnovers. Though Mossy had a bit of a slow start offensively, that defense wore down yet another foe, and propels the Vikings to their first state championship since they cut down the 2B nets in 2007.
“It means everything,” Vikings coach Autumn Moorcroft said. “We started in November and that was our goal from the beginning. League champs, district champs, and now to have a shot at that gold ball. I’ve had these girls since they’ve been freshmen and its something we’ve talked about for awhile. They’re a special group and they’ve worked so hard for four years, they deserve this.”
Unsurprisingly, it was Mossy’s seniors that again led the way Friday night, with Payton Torrey scoring a game-high 23 points with eight rebounds and five assists, Hailey Brooks scoring 19 points with five rebounds, and Caelyn Marshall adding 12 points with five boards and six steals.
Eighth-grader Mckenna Torrey added another four points, six rebounds and four steals at the lead guard spot.
That quartet also led a defensive charge that’s been tough to crack so far this tournament, with Mossyrock outscoring the Hornets in every quarter and holding Inchelium to single-digit scoring in two of four frames.
“All year we’ve talked about how defense is what we want to be known for,” Moorcroft said. “The offense will fall into place, but if you get after it defensively that’s where you’re going to set the tone.”
The win sets up a rematch with No. 1 Neah Bay in the title game tomorrow at 3 p.m., a matchup the Vikings lost earlier this season in overtime at the Mount Vernon Christian Holiday Tournament back in December.
Mossyrock has already had its chance to win a state championship this season in another sport as well, falling to Oakesdale in the 1B volleyball title last fall. If winning a title weren’t enough motivation, the Vikings are looking for redemption in more than a few ways Saturday afternoon in Spokane.
“Coming into this tournament the girls said they wanted another crack at Neah Bay,” Moorcroft said. “We’re going to get it tomorrow. Hopefully we can have another good battle tomorrow.
“These girls have been pretty successful over the years in volleyball, but they haven’t won one of these yet. They’re hungry … it’s eaten at them. They want to get that gold ball, they’re going to put everything they have into it.”
